


The Road to Perdition

by nimiane04



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Victorian, Angst, Cold Winter Vibes, Dracula inspired, Dreams and Nightmares, F/M, Gothic, Romance, Sexual Content, Silver Millennium Era, Transylvania, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-12 22:54:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28893234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nimiane04/pseuds/nimiane04
Summary: John Harper must travel to the edge of the civilized Europe in order to uncover the reasons behind his cousin’s mysterious disappearance... but the land he enters is far more perilous and mystical than he had anticipated.At the center of his search stands Lady Raluca Tepes, a woman that is both familiar to him as well as shrouded in secrets.Vampire fic, loosely inspired by Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”.
Relationships: Hino Rei/Jadeite, Senshi/Shitennou
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	The Road to Perdition

**Author's Note:**

  * For [apsaraqueen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/apsaraqueen/gifts).



> This story is a gift for the lovely and talented apsaraqueen… hope you enjoy this gothic romance take on the RJ pairing!

_Dear Carlisle,_

_I hope this letter finds you in good health and better spirit._

_I have not received word from you since I boarded a ship down the Danube in Vienna. I like to believe that is due to the remoteness of my location and that your health has not impeded you from writing, dear friend… any news you can send of your well being will be greatly appreciated._

_My search in this cold, foreign land has borne no fruit and I feel like I’m chasing after rumors on the wind. This will sound strange and you may think me theatrical; but I felt as if once we crossed the Carpathians into Transylvania, the world had shifted. The forests grew darker, animals bolder and unafraid of human presence and the very air vibrated with warning. I kept looking over my shoulder, expecting to see someone watching from the foliage... but there was nothing there, only the feeling of forbidding._

_The merchants from the caravan I joined felt it too, a prevailing unease settling among everyone. This was both troubling as well as a relief. I wasn’t going insane, this place had such an effect on us all… and I found shared camaraderie among these fellows, as we took turns tending to the fire during the night and keeping the horses and dogs from running off in fright._

_We all gave a collective sigh of relief once we entered the protective fortified walls of Brasov. You should have seen us; grown men crossing themselves and giving thanks to God for the safe travel, touching the city walls in gratitude._

_A merchant I befriended on the road offered to host me in his home and I accepted this generous offer. His English is rudimental, but he knows better German and has been of great help in my search._

_I promised you that I will find out more about Mina’s disappearance, I still refuse to believe that my cousin is dead and I will not leave this place until Lady Raluca offers me the answers I seek._

_I’ve come to meet the lady briefly at the house of one of the local Boyars. She’s… just like Mina used to describe in her letters; elegant but sharp tongued, beautiful and mysterious. When she walked into the room, it was as if all those gathered there held their breath for a moment, waiting on her to decide the purpose of the evening; the role they will play in her entertainment._

_I tried all evening to get an audience with her, pleaded with the host to introduce us… but for all the attention she commanded, she was like a wraith among the crowd. I saw her standing by the edge of the staircase, speaking to an enraptured gathering of guests; by the time I got there she was gone, leaving behind only her lingering perfume._

_This cat and mouse game she played was maddening! I could see she noticed me, noticed my mad dash to reach her, noticed my fervent seeking… noticed all this and smiled indulgently at me whenever our eyes met across the crowded room._

_She came to me in the end, all on her terms. One moment I was looking into my cup, spinning the contents in frustration; the next I looked up and she stood in front of me, as if materialized from a wish._

_It’s difficult to describe what took place after, what we discussed… it’s all a blur of sensations and emotions, of a sense of deja-vu, of knowing her like you know how to breathe! It’s not a conscious act, you don’t remember ever learning it, yet it has always been there, you’ve always taken breath._

_I’ve never met a woman with violet eyes, never knew they existed until I looked upon her… so why then do I feel like I once drowned in their dark depth?_

_Carlisle, am I a fool? Am I falling under the same spell as my cousin? Obsessing over this woman, needing her attention, her approval..._

_I’ve even started dreaming those strange, vivid dreams Mina spoke to you about. I was a knight sworn to defend a prince, you were our leader… and Lady Raluca, she’s in my dreams as well. Waiting for me on the Moon! On the Moon Carl!!! Just as Mina described it... What is it about this woman that awakens such dreams in my kin?... In me?_

_It can’t all be coincidence, there are too many loose ends with not enough thread between them to tell a full story._

_~~I’m afraid Carlisle~~ I’m worried I may succumb to the same illness that afflicted my cousin, that I will never learn the truth... that I’ll never unravel the secrets of those violet eyes. _

_Sometimes I feel that I’m losing my mind, or perhaps… There are certain secrets this world holds, spoken only in whispers and passed for myth. Stories that turn into reality in places tucked away in corners at the edge of civilization. Or maybe it’s just here that people are less cynical and willing to accept the supernatural, the mystic._

_I’m so tired, so very tired and I ~~fear~~ worry that sleep will only bring more torment and questions, not the peaceful unconsciousness I long for. _

_Forgive my ramblings, I have avoided sleep for the past two nights and I’m not entirely sure what I mean to say, where my thoughts want to lead me… I just know that an urgent purpose brought me here, but a deeper need, a dark desire is keeping me from leaving, when any other sane man would have packed his bags and left._

_I hope to see you again in London dear friend, share a whiskey at the Old Blackfriar pub and speak of better times, of my return to sunny India, of your new business acquisition… of our mischievous Mina._

_Till then, I wish you good health and favorable fortunes._

_Ever your friend,_

_John Harper_

_November 27th 1887_

  
  
  


With a weary sigh, John rubbed at his eyes and left the inked paper to dry.

The blonde-haired man leaned heavily on his arms, his gaze intent on the framed photograph adorning his desk. Two kids sitting in the shade of a palm tree. It was a black and white imagine from a much happier time, when he was just twelve years old and his little cousin tailed him everywhere he went.

The picture had been taken a few years prior to his aunt deciding Mina would receive a proper lady’s education back in London and left her brother’s estate in Bangalore for the cold, rainy weather of the British capital.

Despite the distance, he kept in touch with his cousin and was on his way to London to attend her and Carlisle’s wedding when… he let go of that thought as a shiver went through his body.

He felt a deep cold settle inside of him, starting with goose bumps on the surface of his skin and going all the way to the bone, traveling through his veins until he felt he would never know warmth again.

He rose to add more wood in the fireplace; the light from it already growing dim.

The flames danced back to life, their hypnotic sway and the calming crackle of lumber luling him to rest his eyes.

For a moment he saw the image of a woman, back towards him, standing at the edge of a great fire… her crimson robe falling off one shoulder, silken black hair reflecting the orange flames. Her head turned to look at him over that bared skin, the smile at the edge of her mouth promising and inviting.

“You’re late, General…” Her sultry voice sounded so distant, like the echo of a whisper in the dark. Tempting… oh so tempting.

He shook his head and was back in his rented room. With great effort he climbed to his feet and strode to the window, opening it wide to let the frigid night air jolt him back awake.

Tired and half delirious he stared out at the deserted streets. The silence of this mountain town was almost oppressive. Once the sun set, the locals barricaded themselves behind locked doors and shuttered windows.

“Superstitious fools!” He scoffed when he’d first arrived. Rumors and whispers of evil spirits and Strigoi walking the streets at night, Moroi stealing children from their bed… the type of talk that would make any man of culture raise an eyebrow and smile condescendingly at the naïve simpleton. Now, he wasn’t sure anymore who was the more naïve one. 

White snow reflecting the full moon casted a silvery light, more illuminating than the low fire of street lamps… but this lunar gift contrasted with the hidden edges of the world; making the deep shadows of abandoned streets and alleys all the darker for it.

With the land firmly in winter’s grip, the stillness of the night felt frozen in time and he… the lone human mad enough to disturb this sacred silence.

“Lady Raluca Tepes...” His voice whispered into the night; a defiant call sent on the wind. The night remained silent and still. With a tremor in his frozen hands, John closed the shutters and locked the window.

He knew he had to sleep; his body couldn’t take the fatigue anymore. Bending to avoid knocking his head on the sloped ceiling, he crawled underneath the thick covers, shivering and rubbing his arms for warmth.

As the weighty covers and crackling fire brought heated comfort to his body, John allowed his heavy lids to close, his mind drifting back to a forgotten time of knights and chivalry, duty and honor, betrayal and treason.

_He was standing besides a white column, watching the Earth rise in the sky. The Palace was white and made of pure marble, a splendor of Lunarian craftsmanship._

_His charge was dancing with the Moon princess, the ballroom full of courtiers admiring and whispering; their gossip hidden behind feathered fans._

_“Only fools can be so carefree when the entire solar system depends on them.” A sultry voice spoke to his left and he turned to see Lady Mars, champagne glass in hand, rim stained red… and her violet eyes challenging him._

_“Oh, is it not treasonous to speak such… compliments of one’s princess?”_

_Her snort of laughter was more telling of her opinion on that than her spoken words could express “Don’t pretend you haven’t called your liege worse things on the training grounds.”_

_She walked past him then, descending the stairs to the gardens. The smell of Jasmine in her wake and the clinking of her stilettos echoing in the night._ _She knew he’d follow, he always did, regardless of rules or reason… he’s the moth to her flame and no ancient treaties could keep him from this burning want._

_She was off duty tonight, he knew, because a flowing red gown replaced her guardian attire… and she’d never leave so recklessly if her princess depended on her._

_As it was, he rushed forward to not lose sight of the Martian guardian as she entered the high hedged labyrinth._ _For a moment he was disoriented… until he saw the fluttering scarlet edge of a dress disappear around a corner._

_“Princess Reilana, perhaps you know this place like the back of your hand, but I could use your guiding presence.” He calls after her._

_The answering laugh was full of mischief “Keep up, General!”_

_As he turned the corner, he found her discarded left shoe on the ground. The implication of it set his blood to boiling and the quest to find her quickened his steps._ _Her echoing laugh guided him when he stopped in uncertainty... another discarded shoe showed him which tunnel to choose._

_As his fevered search led him closer to his prey, he stopped dead in his tracks. A silky red dress was left abandoned on the ground… with eager, trembling hands he picked it up and followed the last path to the circular center of the labyrinth._

_“What took you so long, General?” She stands naked in the light of the full Earth, her cascade of black hair falling over her breasts, her legs tucked beneath her. She’s the most stunning vision he has seen in his entire life... and she’s given him the honor to love her._

_With speed and efficiency, he quickly discarded his own clothes, all under her intense gaze. Her eyes traveling the length of his exposed body had him at the edge of his restraint._

_Kneeling in front of her, his hand reached behind her neck, pulling her flush against him. Her heated body was close to feverish... but his phoenix had always burned hotter than most, as if her skin radiated her suppressed passion._

_His other hand flicked long tresses of hair over her shoulder, exposing a pert breast, wielding softly under his caress._

_She released a soft moan as his tongue explored her mouth, leaning her gently back into the grass until his body fully covered hers._ _Instinctively she wrapped her slender legs around his waist and he shuddered at the sensation of her body molding to his._

 _It was not their first time, but he didn’t want to rush this. Was she ready for him?... His unasked question was answered as she reached down between them and gently guided him to her._ _Looking deeply into her hypnotic gaze, watching her every reaction... he pushed forward, coiling his arms tightly around her and feeling her breathy inhale in response._

 _He set a slow pace, enjoying the friction of her skin on his and bending his head for a passionate kiss. As they allowed their lips to battle for dominance, he heard her utter an impatient groan._ _With a flexing of her legs, she had him turned on his back without losing their contact. Perched atop of him, her hand settled on his chest for balance... she gave a wicked grin “Too slow, General.”_

 _Her hips undulated and twisted in the figure eight, increasing their pace and making her hair sway seductively over breasts and shoulders._ _It was a maddening rhythm, free and passionate. It took him over the edge... and her with him._

 _He pulled her to his chest as they both shuddered with their release, his lips locked on hers until the trembling subsided._ _In the aftermath she was soft and pliant in his arms; cheek pressed to his chest as she cuddled to him like an indolent cat on a warm stove._

_Jadeite ran his fingers down her back, her radiating heat addictive “We should return to the Palace before they notice our absence.”_

_“There is no one left to notice such tardiness.” Her words held a sharp edge to them, like an accusation hidden in pleasantries._

_“What do you mean? We’ve not been gone for that long.” She didn’t answer. Everything around them went completely still, even his lover seemed to hold her breath, waiting..._

_Something was wrong, her skin rapidly cooled under his touch, the garden around them started to wither and decay, the night sky turned from midnight blue to dark crimson._

_Reilana lifted her head from his chest and rose in a sitting position above him. Her naturally pale skin turned into a sickly white, her red lips a blue grimace now… inky dark hair hanging limply down her face._

_Horrified he looked at her abdomen where a jagged wound pierced her flesh._ _Holding her hand over the gash, blood seeped between her fingers._

 _“_ _Don’t you remember your betrayal, General?”_

 _He shook his head, terror gripping his heart, images of a red-haired witch flashing in his mind, he and his brothers bending the knee to her… and the armies that invaded the Moon at their command._ _This could not be real, he would never…_

_“It is real! You and your brothers made a deal with the she-devil.” Her voice sounded distant and fading, her body smoking at the edges, cracking in the middle, like a wooden maiden consumed by fire._

_“Ambition and hubris were your downfall... and we all had to pay the price!”_

_Her touch burned and he screamed out of pain, out of anguish and despair…_

John woke with a start, confused and disoriented. Sweat was dripping down his face and heart pounding in his chest, echoing the frantic rhythm in his ears.

Sitting up in bed, he struggled to recover his breath only to freeze at the sight before him... blood like ice in his veins, eyes widening in disbelief.

She stood at the foot of his bed, dressed in a semi translucent gown, lips painted red and burning violet eyes intent on his face.

It should have been impossible for anyone to enter his room; the window was closed, door locked… but there she was; beautiful and real, dangerous and still… like she just stepped out of his dream to materialize in this small chamber.

Lady Raluca gave him a slow, sultry smile; exposing elongated fangs “Awake at last… General?”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! ^.^
> 
> I had a great time creating this alternate universe and got so hooked by the idea that I am hoping to return and expand on it in a sequel, multi-chapter story.  
> I feel that because this one-shot was from Jadeite’s perspective and he’s in this sleep deprived trance, with only bits of memory at his disposal; we don’t get a complex enough view of Lady Raluca. I want to explore this setting more and include Rei’s perspective as well as add more of the SM cast to the story.  
> May time and the muses permit this!


End file.
